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On offer is a fascinating, significant 1916 manuscript relic of World War I being the personal diary of Louis Goeth Dreyfus, Jr. (1889-1973) an American diplomat in Budapest during the time of World War I when the city was central to and at one of the most critical junctures of history. [While the book is not inscribed or signed we note the author's identity is revealed on September 22nd: "Rainy morning. Didn't go to office until 11 A.M. Mr. Coffin shows me a telegram from the Dep't saying Mr. Dreyfus be spared for a month to take charge at Sofia during Consul General Murphy's absence for illness. Mr. Coffin again showed his selfish instincts by so far as possible injuring my chances of going. He replied that he cannot spare Dreyfus until Oct. tenth."] The 285 page book has handwritten entries dated from January 1st through October 11th 1916 at the peak of the first World War and as the denouement of the Austro Hungarian empire was approaching our author from his singularly unique perspective noted and described his daily life, especially at the consulate, detailing the status of the wartime situation in Austria-Hungary with it's neighbors close and far, his meeting and dining with other Consuls, learning to speak Hungarian, playing tennis and billiards and looking at pretty women. Only 27 and well into the beginnings of a rich and successful career his entries show a savvy observer in Dreyfus from a unique perspective notes the status of the war, progress or stalemates and many tart observations on Kitchener, Sir Edward Grey, and others. He is sometimes critical of William Coffin, the Consul General. He travels to Vienna and various places in Hungary, occasionally with Coffin but often with Donald M. Ingram, the Vice Consul and usually his constant companion. Dreyfus contemplated leaving the diplomatic corps, but was appointed Consul Class VIII on 16 July 1916. Here is a snippet from beginning which exemplifies this young man's well written narrative: "For several years back mother has been urging me keep a diary to record the interesting events of every day. I must now admit that such an outline of my activities in Peru and especially at Quibdo in the Jungle of Colombia and at Berlin where I was in charge of the Consulate General at the outbreak of the European war would in later years afford very pleasant reading. It is true that there are many occurrences in my work which are of such a nature that for political reasons it is necessary to leave them unrecorded. For example the Ancona matter has at last been adjusted by the satisfactory reply of the Government at Vienna published on December 31st. The excitement and uncertainty to which we have been subjected, the instructions of the Government in the matter and many other details could not be entered in my diary unless it were best kept in the office safe." The 6½ x 4¼ inch diary ends October 11th when Dreyfus leaves for Sofia, Bulgaria. The black cloth 'Naplo Agenda' diary with Hungarian language monthly names, pencil still attached is overall VG. BIO NOTES: Louis Goeth Dreyfus, Jr.was born in Santa Barbara, California, on 23 November 1889. U.S. Consul in Budapest, 1914; U.S. Vice Consul in Budapest, 1916; Paris, 1919; Palermo, 1920-21; Dresden,1925; U.S. Consul General in Copenhagen, 1932; U.S. Minister to Iran, 1939-44; Afghanistan, 1940-42; Iceland, 1944-46; Sweden, 1946-47; U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, 1949-51. Episcopalian. He was author of Market for cotton yarns in Germany (1925) and Buenavista, beautiful residential park, Santa Barbara, California (1930). He made a bequest to Yale University to fund fellowships for Yale graduate and undergraduate students who are children and grandchildren of U.S. Foreign Service Officers. Size: 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. N° de réf. du vendeur 0002177
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